Download AP Psychology Syllabus

AP® Psychology
Bridgeport High School
2015-2016 School Year
Mr. Lister
Overview
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an in-depth introduction
into psychology and its major subfields through a variety of educational
strategies. Demonstrations, activities, lectures, discussion, projects, and
experiments will help students achieve learning in scientific and empirical
approaches. [SC 17] This course is scheduled on a rotating block schedule,
where classes meet every other day, over the length of a 180-day school year.
Classes will meet approximately 90 days per semester. Approximately 8-10
classes will take place in the second semester after the AP® exam has taken
place.
Materials




Myers’ Psychology for AP®
Textbook, Second Edition
Large 3 Ring Binder
Notebook
Flashcards
Key Dates
August 13, 2015
Course Objectives
The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic
and specific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings.




Students will learn the history, various approaches, and major
discoveries of psychology over past centuries.
Students will learn about the brain, how it is designed, and its overall
impact on various aspects of human activity.
Students will learn the importance of researching, analyzing, and
thinking critically. They will see the importance of how psychologists
use research so heavily in their work.
Students will learn the ethics of research on both humans and animals
First Semester Begins
December 22, 2015
End of First Semester
 Semester Exams the week of
the 20th
January 4, 2016
Second Semester Begins
_________________________________
May 2, 2016
AP Exam Date
Grading Policy
Grades will be comprised of a combination of tests, projects, activities, quizzes,
classwork, and homework. Grading will be done on a point scale with tests and
major projects being worth approximately 100 points. Quizzes and activities will
be in the 25-50 point range. Homework and classwork will be in the 10-30 point
range. Occasional opportunities for extra credit will be given to the class as a
whole; no individual extra credit assignments will be given. Please do not ask.
Makeup Policy
With a class this rigorous, attendance is crucial to success, so it is important to
be in class as much as possible.
Mr. Lister

SC17- As relevant to each
content area, the course
provides instruction in
empirically supported
psychological facts, research
findings, terminology, and
associated phenomena,
perspectives, and major
figures.
1
In the event that you miss school, you will be given the same number of days
that you were out to complete the work. Makeup work is the sole responsibility
of the student. You must ask the instructor for your missing assignments, which
will be in a makeup folder. Forgetting makeup work and then asking for it late
will result in a late grade on the assignment.
Expectations
You will be given plenty of notice about tests, quizzes, projects, and major
assignments. You are expected to be prepared for these on the date they are to
occur or are due. Being that this is an advanced level class, advanced level work
will be expected. There will be nightly readings that are critical for students to
complete to ensure that we can move through the material at the needed pace,
and so that the students will be amply prepared for the AP Exam. Reading
Quizzes will be given to ensure the students are keeping up.
Understanding terminology is an important part of passing the AP Exam, so
vocabulary terms will be of great importance and will be given for each chapter.
Flash cards are a great way to get the vocabulary down, and are the method we
will use as a class, as well as various organizers. Tests will mimic the setup of the
AP Exam, although they may be slightly smaller in length. They will be timed,
with 40-50 multiple-choice questions and 1-2 free response questions. We will
also look at and work through a large variety of past AP exams and sample
questions, to familiarize students with the setup of the exam.
Projects, quizzes, classwork, and homework will come in a variety of different
forms depending on the material being covered.
Class Guidelines
1. Be Respectful




Respect each other
Respect your instructor
Respect different views and opinions
Respect other peoples’ things
2. Be Responsible





Complete your work on time
Be in attendance for class
Stay on top of the readings
Bring all necessary materials
Be accountable for your own actions (good or bad)
3. Be Active


Be an active participant in the learning community
Take part in all activities, discussions, and demonstrations
Mr. Lister
2
Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism, cheating, or any other forms of academic dishonesty will absolutely
not be tolerated and will be punished to the fullest extend of school and county
rules. There will be many assignments and projects where research and writing
will be involved, so do your own work, and do it properly.
Course Plan
Below is the tentative course schedule. We will follow it as closely as possible,
although school functions, or delays/cancelations due to inclement weather may
affect it and changes will have to be made.
First 6 Weeks





Unit 1: Psychology’s History and Approaches [SC 1]
o Psychology’s History
o Big Issues and Approaches
o Careers in Psychology (Research, Applied Research, and the
“Helping” Professions)
Unit 1 Essential Questions
o How did psychology advance from its prescientific days to the
beginnings of modern science?
o What are some of the major milestones in early psychology?
o Can you summarize the “Nature vs. Nurture” debate?
o What are psychology’s main subfields?
Unit 2: Research Methods: Thinking Critically [SC 2]
o The Need for Psychological Science
o The Scientific Method
o Correlation and Experimentation
o Statistical Reasoning
o Ethics and Psychological FAQ’s
Unit 2 Essential Questions
o Why are science based answers more valid than those based on
intuition and common sense?
o How do psychologists use observation, surveys, and case studies to
observe and describe behavior?
o Why is random sampling important?
o What are positive, negative, and illusory correlations?
o Can psychological research be generalized across cultures and genders?
Unit 9: Developmental Psychology [SC 11]
o Major issues of Developmental Psychology
o Brain Development
o Piaget’s and Vytgotsky’s theories on Cognitive Development
o Attachment and Social Development
o Gender Development
Mr. Lister

SC1- The course provides
instruction in history and
approaches

SC2- The course provides
instruction in research
methods used in
psychological science,
practice, and ethics

SC11- The course provides
instruction in developmental
psychology
3

o Parents, Peers, and Early Development
o Adolescence
o Sexual Development
o Adulthood
Unit 9 Essential Questions
o As we develop, do we stay relatively the same or do we change?
o How important are our earliest memories and experiences on our
current lives?
o Why are Piaget and Vygotsky’s theories so important?
o Why is attachment so important and how can it influence a person?
o Do different cultures raise children differently?
o How do culture, family, and peers influence gender roles?
o How do we form our identity?
Second 6 Weeks





Unit 6: Learning [SC 7]
o Learning and Classical Conditioning
o Operant Conditioning
o Biology, Cognition, and Learning
o Mirroring and Observational Learning
Unit 6 Essential Questions
o How do people learn?
o Why are Pavlov and Skinner still important? How did their findings
differ?
o How can you make operant conditioning applications in your own life?
o How do biology and cognition affect conditioning?
o Are role models important?

SC7- The course provides
instruction in learning
Unit 7: Cognition [SC 8]
7a: Memory
o Studying Memory
o Building Memory
o Storage and Retrieval of Memory
o Forgetting
o Improving Memory
Unit 7a Essential Questions
o What is memory?
o What parts of the brain are most important to memory?
o Is forgetting always a bad thing?
o Are there ways in which we can improve our memory?
3rd 6 Weeks

7b: Thinking and Language
o Thinking
o Concepts
o Creativity
o Problem Solving
o Decision Making
o Language Structure and Development
Mr. Lister
4



o The Brain’s Role in Language
Unit 7b Essential Questions
o How can you best explain what a concept is?
o Are some problem-solving strategies better than others?
o What is language and how do we develop it?
o Do thought and language influence each other?
Unit 5: Consciousness [SC 6]
o Understanding consciousness and hypnosis
o Sleep Patterns and Theories
o Sleep Deprivation, Disorders, and Dreams
o Psychoactive Drugs
Unit 5 Essential Questions
o What is consciousness?
o Why do we need to sleep? Why is it so important?
o Do dreams have any impact on our lives?
o How do drugs affect our lives?

SC6- The course provides
instruction in states of
consciousness.
o
SC3- The course provides
instruction in biological bases
of behavior
o
SC4- The course provides
instruction in sensation
SC5- The course provides
instruction in perception
Semester Exam- Cumulative
Second Semester
4th 6 Weeks




Unit 3: Biological Basis of Behavior [SC 3]
o The Nervous System
o The Endocrine System
o Structure and Function of the Cortex
o The Divided Brain
o Genetics
o Evolutionary Psychology
Unit 3 Essential Questions
o What is the importance of studying biology in relation to psychology?
o What is the importance of the nervous system?
o How can research into split brain tell us how the brain works?
o What are the pros and cons of duel processing?
o What is the connection between environment and heredity?
o Does natural selection impact daily life?
Unit 4: Sensation and Perception [SC 4 and SC 5]
o Principles of Sensation and Perception
o Influences on Perception
o Vision
o Visual Organization and Interpretation
o Hearing
o The Other Senses
Unit 4 Essential Questions
o Does sensory adaptation help people live their daily lives?
o Why is light important to vision?
o How exactly does the eye make vision possible?
o How does one see color?
Mr. Lister
o
5
o
o
o
o
What do sound waves have to do with hearing?
Is the sense of touch often overlooked?
How important is smell in our lives?
Can you explain sensory interaction and its importance?
5th 6 Weeks






Unit 8: Motivation, Emotion, and Stress [SC 9 and SC 10]
o Motivational Concepts
o Hunger Motivation
o Sexual Motivation
o Social Motivation
o Theories and Principles of Emotion
o Stress and Health
Unit 8 Essential Questions
o What are instincts? Do humans have them?
o What drives our motivations?
o What does hunger do to our bodies?
o How does sex affect behavior?
o Are emotions and thinking related?
o How does gender affect emotion?
o What is stress and how does it relate to our health and well being?
Unit 10: Personality [SC 12]
o Freud and the Unconscious
o Psychodynamic Theories
o Humanistic Theories
o Trait Theories
o Social-Cognitive Theories
Unit 10 Essential Questions
o How can personality be explained by psychoanalysis?
o Are Freud and his ideas credible? How have they evolved over time?
o What is the unconscious mind and how can we assess it?
o What does self-actualization mean?
o What is a personality trait and how do we assess it?
o What are the Big 5 factors?
Unit 11: Testing and Individual Differences [SC 13]
o Intelligence
o Assessing Intelligence
o The Dynamics of Intelligence
o Genetics and Environmental Impact on Intelligence
Unit 11 Essential Questions
o What is intelligence? Does it come in many forms?
o What is the brain’s role in regards to intelligence?
o Do we need intelligence testing?
o What makes an intelligence test a good one?
o Does intelligence stay the same throughout life?
Mr. Lister


SC9- The course provides
instruction in motivation
SC10- The course provides
instruction in emotion

SC12- The course provides
instruction in personality

SC13- The course provides
instruction in testing and
individual differences
6


Unit 12: Abnormal Behavior and Disorders [SC 14]
o Introduction into Disorders
o Mood Disorders
o Schizophrenia
o Other Disorders
o Anxiety, O.C.D, and P.T.S.D
Unit 12 Essential Questions
o What are psychological disorders and how do we define them?
o Why is there a higher prevalence of psychological disorders in some
cultures than others?
o How do anxiety, phobias, O.C.D, and P.T.S.D. affect people?
o How do other major psychological disorders affect people?
o How can psychological issues affect people’s general health and wellbeing?

SC14- The course provides
instruction in abnormal
psychology

SC15- The course provides
instruction in treatment of
psychological disorders and
ethics used in psychological
practice

SC16- The course provides
instruction in social
psychology
6th 6 Weeks




Unit 13: Treatment of Abnormal Behavior [SC 15]
o Introduction the therapy
o Behavior, Group, and Cognitive therapy
o Psychotherapy and Prevention
o Biomedical Therapy
Unit 13 Essential Questions
o What does it mean if someone is “mentally well?”
o How important is therapy?
o Is psychoanalysis a valid form of treatment?
o Are family members and friends important to effective treatment?
o Can mental illness be prevented?
o How effective are drug therapies?
o Can lifestyle treatments improve mental health?
Unit 14: Social Psychology [SC 16]
o Attribution, Attitudes, and Actions
o Conformity and Obedience
o Group Behavior
o Prejudice and Discrimination
o Aggression
o Attraction
o Altruism
Unit 14 Essential Questions
o How do we explain our own behavior and that of other people?
o What is conformity and how does it affect behavior?
o How do others help or hurt our performance?
o How do people become polarized in a group setting?
o Does culture influence behavior?
o How does prejudice impact the individual?
o What is aggression and how do people become aggressive?
Mr. Lister
7
Review for AP Exam
Post AP Exam- Enrichment Modules
*Important
Note: More detailed schedules of important
dates, events, due dates, tests, etc. will be given
towards the beginning of each unit. Students and
Parents will have advanced notice of when tests or
projects will be due.
Mr. Lister
8